Car truck



March 11, 1941.

c. L. ORR

CAR TRUCK Filed Dec. 5, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 C. L. ORR

CAR TRUCK March 11, 1941.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 5, 1938 C. L. ORR

cm TRUCK March 11, 1941.

Filed Dec. 5, 1938 s Sheets-Sheet s Patented Mar. 11, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CAR TRUGK Ohio Application December 5, 1938, Serial No.-244,095

11 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in means for applying, shimming and retaining journal boxes in the side frame pedestal openings of railway car trucks.

The main object of the invention is toprovide a simple and economical means for applying, shimming and retaining either roller bearing or plain bearing journal boxes in side frame pedestal openings.

With the foregoing object outlined, and with other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel featureshereinafter described in detail, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a portion of a car truck side frame and journal box in accordance with the invention, and with the shim omitted but with my improved journal box retaining means shown.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional View taken on the line 2-2 of Fig l, but with the journal box in elevation.

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 1 but showing a relatively thin shim in use, and with the journal box retaining plate in an inverted position relatively to the position shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3a, is a view like a portion of Fig. 3 but showing a thicker shim in use.

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3 and showing the journal box in elevation.

Figs, 5 and 6 are plan and side elevations respectively of the thin shim.

Figs. '7 and 8 are similar views of the thicker shim.

Fig. 9 is a top plan view of the retaining plate.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2 which are views of a frame pedestal opening with the journal box applied, it will be noted that there are no shims at the top of the box. In such unshimmed application of the invention, the pedestal opening is provided with four accurately spaced depending lugs l which embrace the corner portions of an upstanding lug 2 arranged at the top of the journal box 3. The contact at the vertical faces of lugs l and 2 serves to properly space the journal box 3 in a longitudinal direction in the frame pedestal opening 4, and it will be observed that clearances 5 are shown between the sides of the journal box and the vertical faces of the pedestal opening, indicating that contact between the box and frame along these lines is not depended on to space the journal box longitudinally. The clearances 5- are exaggerated on the drawings for the purpose of clearness.

The journal box is held in the frame opening in a transverse direction by means of upstanding flanges 6- on the top of the box which embrace the side frame at the top of the pedestal opening; andby flanges I at the sides of the box which embrace the side frame columns 8.

While the journal box may be retained in the pedestal opening in a vertical direction byany suitable means, I prefer to employ the special means which I have devised. It comprises an L-shaped or substantially angular retaining plate 9, the head of which is provided with a.

horizontal surface 9% adapted to contact the lower ends of the column flanges I at one side of the journal box. When the topof the box is in contact with the top of the pedestal opening, there is a small clearance [0 between the cooperating faces of the retaining plate and the column flanges in order that the retaining plate may be moved easily.

The plate, as best shown inFig. 9, is provided I la of the side frame when the-retaining plate is fully retracted.

After the journal box is applied to the frame, and the retaining plate is projected to a proper position to underlie the flanges l at one side of .the journal box, the plate is secured in position by any suitable means such as bolts l2. An upper tie [5' is provided between the side walls of the frame just above the tail end of the shank of the plate. and it cooperates with the tie. 9a to guide the shank in its sliding movements. If, for any reason, the weight'of the journal 3 is supported by the retaining plate-at surface 90., the upward vertical thrust at the inner end of the shank of the retaining plate is resisted partly by the tie IE- and partly by the bolts i2. In the absence of tie l-5, bolts [2 would have to resist all: of this upward thrust and there would-be a greater tendency to loosen them. Tie i5 also serves as a stop for the angular heads of bolts l2, preventing them from rotating when the nuts are applied.

When a shim is not employed, it will be observed that a portion of the head projects above the shank of the plate 9 but as may be seen from Fig. 3, when a shim is used, the retaining plate is inverted to accommodate the lowered position of the flanges 1.

Referring now to the shimmed construction, illustrated in Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6, a shim 13 may be used when its thickness I311. is less than the vertical height of the lugs l of the frame. Lugs |3b at opposite ends of the shim fit between the lugs I at the opposite sides of the pedestal opening. The flanges 6 of the journal box embrace the shim transversely thereby spacing the top of the box transversely. Since the thickness of the shim is less than the vertical height of the lugs I, the latter extend below the shim as shown at X in Fig. 4 and embrace the upstanding portion 2 of the journal box, thereby spacing the box longitudinally in thesame manner as when the shim was not applied.

Shim l4 (Figs. 3a, 7 and 8) is to be used when its thickness Ma is greater than the vertical height of lugs I. Since the lugs I will not, in this case, embrace portion 2 of the box, vertical depending lugs 14b are provided at the opposite ends of the shim, and these lugs embrace portion 2 of the journal box while the surfaces I40 of the shim are embraced by the lugs l thereby spacing the journal box longitudinally in the pedestal opening. Transversely, the lugs Mb fit between the lugs I, and flanges 6 of the journal box embrace the shim thereby spacing the top of the box in the frame opening,

As before stated, when either shim is used, the

retaining plate must be removed and reapplied in an inverted position. It is so designed that when applied upside-down, suflicient clearance is providedbetween it and the column flanges of the box to allow shims of nominal thickness to be used. It will also be noted that whether the retaining plate is right-side-up or up-side-down, in case bolts l2 should be loosened and lost during service, the journal box will act as an abutment and prevent the shank of the plate from moving out of the opening in the side frame, and thereby prevent loss of the plate.

Many modifications of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, Without departing therefrom, or from the scope of the claims, and since the foregoing disclosure has been given by way of example for clearness and understanding, no unnecessary limitations should be understood and the appended claims should be construed as broadly as the state of the art permits.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a railway car truck, a side frame member having a pedestal opening and provided at the top of the opening with oppositely disposed pairs of depending spaced lugs, a journal box extending into said opening, and means at the top of the box having opposite ends abutting against said lugs, said means comprising a shim interlocked with the journal box and of a height at least equal to the height of the lugs.

2. In a railway car truck, a side frame member having a pedestal opening and provided at the top of the opening with oppositely disposed pairs of depending spaced lugs, a journal box extending into said opening, and means at the top of the box having opposite ends abutting against said lugs, said means comprising a shim having corner recesses to receive said lugs and provided with depending lugs embracing the upper portion of the journal box.

3. In a railway car truck, a side frame member having a pedestal opening and provided at the top of the opening with oppositely disposed pairs of depending spaced lugs, a journal box extending into said opening, shim means at the top of the box having opposite ends abutting against said lugs, and upstanding flanges at the top of the journal box engaging the shim means to prevent transverse movement of the side frame member and journal box relatively to one another.

4. In a railway car truck, a side frame member having pedestal columns arranged at opposite sides of a pedestal opening, a journal box extending into said opening, an invertible substantially L-shaped retaining plate for the a journal box arranged at the lower end of one of said columns, and means detachably securing the retaining plate to the side frame member, the retaining plate having a head, and the side frame member having a recess to receive said head when the retaining plate is in retracted position to prevent the head from obstructing the removal of the journal box.

5. In a railway car truck, a side frame member having a pedestal opening with columns arranged at opposite sides thereof, a journal box extending into said opening and provided at one side with flanges which cooperate with one of the columns to limit relative movement of the journal box and side frame member transversely of the truck,

the side frame member having a retaining plate recess and supporting means adjacent the lower ends of said flanges, a retaining plate extending into said recess and having a portion arranged below said flanges and forming an abutment for the flanges, another portion of the retaining plate resting on said supporting means, a tie within the side frame member immediately above a portion of said plate, and a bolt securing the retaining plate to said supporting means and having an angular head abutting against said tie and prevented from turning thereby.

6. In a railway car truck, a side frame member having a pedestal opening with columns arranged at opposite sides thereof, a journal box extending into said opening and provided at one side with flanges which cooperate with one of the columns to limit relative movement of the journal box and side frame member transversely of the truck, the side frame member having a retaining plate recess and supporting means adjacent the lower ends of said flanges, a substantially L-shaped retaining plate extending into said recess and having a head portion arranged below said flanges and forming an abutment for the flanges,

another portion of the retaining plate forming a narrow shank resting on said supporting means, a tie within the side frame member immediately above the shank portion of said plate, and a bolt slidably arranged at the lower end of one of said pedestal columns for movement toward and away from said opening, said plate being adapted to retain the journal box in one position when the latter is shimmed, the plate comprising a substantially vertically extending lug that is adapted when the plate is inverted to retain the journal box when the latter and side frame are not shimmed, the last-mentioned pedestal column being shaped to receive the lug when the latter is in retracted position.

8. In a railway car truck, a side frame member having a pedestal opening and provided at the top of the opening with oppositely disposed pairs of depending spaced lugs, a journal box extending into said opening and having vertical flanges which extend upwardly from the top thereof, and means at the top of the box having opposite ends abutting against said lugs, said means including a shim arranged between the top of the box and the side frame member, the upper edges of said flanges being arranged below the upper surface of the shim.

9. In a railway car truck, a side frame member having a pedestal opening and provided at the top of the opening with oppositely disposed pairs of depending spaced lugs, a journal box extending into said opening and having vertical flanges which extend upwardly from the top thereof, and means at the top of the box having opposite ends abutting against said lugs, said means including a shim arranged between the top of the box and the side frame member, the upper edges of said flanges being arranged below the upper surface of the shim, said shim being of less height opposite ends abutting against said lugs, said means including a shim arranged between the top of the box and the side frame member, the upper edges of said flanges being arranged below the upper surface of the shim, the shim having recessed corners into which said lugs extend.

11. In a railway car truck of the type having a side frame provided with pedestal columns arranged at opposite sides of a pedestal opening, and a journal box extending into said opening and arranged for shim means at its top to raise said frame relative to said box, the improvement which comprises an invertible substantially L-shaped retaining plate slidably arranged at the lower end of one of said pedestal columns for movement toward and away from said opening, .4 'said plate being adapted to retain the journal shimmed, the last-mentioned pedestal column having a rabbet adapted to receive the head when the retaining plate is in retracted position.

CLAUDE L. ORR. 

